If you have friends with children or are a parent yourself, you know how much children love arts and crafts. And what do parents love best? Parents love to be able to keep their kids busy doing something fun that, more importantly, keeps them out of their hair!
When the activities are fun and interesting, children love to learn! This is where you come in! You can teach classes to kids how to do interesting and fun things such as how to operate a camera and take photos, how to paint, how to draw, and more. You can market your classes to parents planning parties for their children or just planning ways to keep their children occupied during summer vacations and school holidays.
Be sure to consider how much your time and supplies are worth when figuring out how much to charge for each child in the class. Likely, you will want to charge more to entertain and teach older children, as this is more challenging and often a more complicated endeavor. You will want to offer classes oriented to groups of girls, groups of boys, and groups of children of both sexes. Make sure that your list of classes also includes activities that would appeal to very young children, older children, and to more perceptive teenagers.
You may want to consider offering classes to teach the following things:
How to:
build a kite from scratch
decoupage a cigar box
do simple ribbon embroidery
scrapbook photographs of family and friends
build a go-cart
grow a garden from seeds
draw cartoons
alter old books and turn them into collaged works of art
draw and paint with watercolor pencils
create beaded jewelry
create your own personalized crown or tiara
bake chocolate chip cookies
create your own masks and costumes
make your own set of paper dolls
create your own personalize t-shirt or sweatshirt
tie-dye clothing items or fabric
make balloon animals
You will likely want to advertise your classes by running an ad in your local newspapers and list your services in local phone directories. You will also want to be sure and have a website listing the many classes you have available, the age ranges that they are planned for, and a pricing structure. Be sure and include photos of children of all ages enjoying exploring, learning, playing, and having an overall great time in your classes!
You should also list your Children's Entertainment Classes with an online business directory. In addition, it would be a good idea to print up flyers advertising your fun activities and post them in places where people with children would be likely to frequent. Be sure to include popular lunch places and coffee shops! Most post offices and grocery stores also have bulletin boards that they will allow you to place an advertisement on them. Be sure to take advantage of any public bulletin boards in your immediate area to find the people who are looking for you and your services. Don't neglect places like medical service buildings, health food stores, libraries, community centers and any other place that your potential clients may frequent.
In no time at all, you will have built up a large clientele base, many by word of mouth as they witness your fun and educational classes in action!
Resources:
http://www.kidzart.com
http://www.kidspartyfun.com
http://www.essortment.com/in/Children.Parties.Activities/index.htm
http://www.creativekidsathome.com
http://www.kid-party-ideas.com
http://www.kwikcrafts.com
May 5, 2009
